Access Bank Named Best Sustainable Bank

Herbert Wigwe (3rd from left), Group Managing Director of Access Bank, with other officials of the bank and award organisers

Access Bank has for the second time emerged winner of the 'Outstanding Business Sustainability Achievement' Award at the 2017 edition held in Germany.

This comes a year after the bank made history as the first African bank to receive the prestigious accolade and barely a week after rating agency, Agusto & Co, upgraded the Bank's rating from A+ to AA-.

Presented to Access Bank's Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe, in Karlsruhe, Germany, the award was in recognition of the bank's outstanding success in incorporating economic, social and environmental aspects into its corporate strategy and business processes.

The award also brings global recognition to the bank's impressive success in holistically embedding sustainability across all aspects of operations within it.

Mr. Wigwe said the award validated the bank's continuous efforts and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Since we were here last year to receive the 2016 'Outstanding Business Sustainability Achievement Award', Access Bank has continued to champion responsible investing, innovative health initiatives, environmental protection and financial inclusion. We are doing this profitably. So, we continue to encourage other institutions to embrace the same principles and practices.”

Access Bank believes its operations, loan and project finance must have the barest environmental footprint and the net impact of its activities must be positive on the environment.

Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana, Dolapo Ogundimu, commented that the award further demonstrated the bank's commitment to using its banking operations to develop sustainable communities here in Ghana.

He added that Access Bank has over the past eight years grown to become a flagbearer of sustainable business practices in Ghana through its responsible lending practices, social investments, disclosures and strategic partnerships with international agencies, including the Global Reporting Initiative and Equator Principles.

Held on July 13th, 2017, the award ceremony was attended by CEOs of leading international financial institutions, senior executives of other winning institutions and top German government officials.

Access Bank Group operates in eight African markets spanning Sub-Saharan Africa's three monetary zones, the Far East, Middle East, Asia and the United Kingdom (UK).